Murdannia keisak is a new uncommon aquarium plant. It has narrow distichous leaves, and under water it has strictly upright stems with pronounced nodes, which remind somewhat of bamboo. The leaves grow to a length of up to approx. 5 cm and 1 cm in width, the stems are around 3 mm thick. This plant belongs to the Commelinaceae family, which means it is related to plants of the genus Tradescantia, the “Golliwoog” plant (Callisia repens), Cyanotis and Floscopa. Murdannia keisak is distributed in the warmer regions of Asia, where it mostly grows as bog plant or floats in shallow water. In the aquarium it does very well when cultivated submersed. In the submersed form, the leaves are of a very light green, often with some purple hues. When nutrients are deficient, the leaves tend to assume a whitish colour. A substrate rich in nutrients and fertilisation with macronutrients is very beneficial for growth. You can let Murdannia keisak grow above the waterline, too, and it can be cultivated as bog plant in paludaria. Its emerged form has low-lying to ascending stems.

• Family Name : Commelinaceae
• Origin : Eastern Asia
• Height : 5-20cm
• pH : 5 – 7
• Temperature : 18-30°C